Deep into that darkness peering...

I was all set. I had a renewed purpose. I had an upgraded ship. It was time. I said a silent farewell to civilisation and jumped out of the bubble.

Destination: Colonia. The furthest outpost of humanity, some 25,000 light years distant. That's an unfathomable distance, even in this age of frame shift drives and faster-than-light travel. But it is not an impossible distance. Given enough time I can get there. Many people have made the journey. Many have failed, but more have made it to Colonia in one piece. I had a route plotted, and I was confident. I still AM confident.

My journey consists of seven legs:

1. From the bubble to Hillary Depot in Blu Thua AI-A c14-10
2. Hillary Depot to Amundsen Terminal in Lagoon Sector NI-S b4-10
3. Amundsen Terminal to Eagle's Landing in Eagle Sector IR-W d1-117
4. Eagle's Landing to Sacagawea Spaceport in Skaudai CH-B d14-34
5. Sacagawea Spaceport to Gagarin Gate in Gru Hypue KS-T d3-31
6. Gagarin Gate to Polo Harbour in Boewnst KS-S c20-959
7. Polo Harbour to Jacques Station in Colonia  

It's not going to be an easy trip, each leg is in excess of 2,000 light years. But I have a decent FSD and two Automatic Repair Modules. I think I'll be OK...

On the surface of some system somewhere

During the first leg I got overcome by wanderlust and explored a great many systems in a LOT of detail. I landed on a rocky planetoid in the Synuefe ara and mined some nickel. I honked in SWOILZ ZV-C D67A and the scan showed up ninety three celestial objects! I travelled 123,000 lightsecobnds in one system just to scan a distant sun... Then I realised if I spent this long all the way there I might never reach my destination!

On the surface of another planet somewhere

However, it's easy to fall into a routine when you're jumping long distance. And routine brings a lack of focus. Out in the black, a lack of focus can kill. I nearly burnt to a crisp jumping out of SWOILZ KK-A C3-29-A, as I span up the FSD way too close to the sun and didn't even think to drop heatsinks. To make matters worse, the next system I jumped into had its entry point in between two large and very hot stars! I got out in one piece, but a lot of my systems were more than a little crispy...

Make sure you bring plenty of heatsinks. You never know when you'll need them.

When I got closer to Hillary Depot I started exploring the systems more thoroughly. I managed to find a system which had never been logged by anyone. I spent a good while scanning all of the stellar bodies - Universal Cartographics paid me handsomely for those (I wonder if I'll be able to afford an Anaconda by the time I get back? I guess I can dream, right?)

I made a few million selling this data...

I got a promotion to Pathfinder after selling my data to Universal Cartographics

After a quick overnight in Hillary Depot I headed off to Amundsen Terminal. The journey was fairly similar. I took many photos of the planets I explored and the stunning views of the Lagoon Nebula.

The Lagoon Nebula in all its glory. Pictures can't do it justice

I'm currently at Amundsen and plotting my route for the next leg. I'm going to try something risky. There's at least one neutron star on the way to Eagle's landing. If I charge my FSD in its streams, I might be able to cut down my journey time... If I survive.

On approach to Amundsen Station